Project Manager (Private Sector Development) at Adam Smith International

Adam Smith International is a leading professional services business that delivers real impact, value and lasting change through projects supporting economic growth and government reform internationally.
Our reputation as a global leader has been built on the positive results our projects have achieved in many of the world’s most challenging environments.

Job description

About the Private Sector Development team

Private Sector Development is one of our core areas of expertise.  We specialise in the design and implementation of programmes that adopt a market systems approach (often referred to as ‘Making Markets Work for the Poor’), and work on numerous projects related to agriculture, public-private dialogue, business environment reform, business for development, and trade across the world.

 

About the Growth and Employment in States 3 (GEMS3) Project

GEMS3 works with private and public stakeholders at National, State and local government levels to build and deliver a systematic framework that will help make it easier to do business in Nigeria, leading to lasting improvements in economic opportunities for the poor, especially women. GEMS3 is targeting achievement of the following results in twelve States:

 

  • Increase incomes of more than 695,000 people (250,000 of whom are women);
  • Assist in creating more than 30,000 FTEs (10,500 for women);
  • Enable creation of additional incomes of £71 million (£26 million for women);
  • By 2015 290,000 parcels of land will have been registered. This number will increase to 670,000 by 2017.
  • Tax harmonization work will have been conducted in 176 LGAs by 2015.

About the Role

The Manager will be resident in Nigeria, working in the GEMS3 programme in the role of Project Manager. Specific responsibilities will include:

  1. Support technical and project management teams in the planning and budgeting of interventions
  2. Ensure MS Project plans are maintained effectively and that they feed into a master plan
  3. Maintain a milestones dashboard and an issues and risk register. Effectively elevate concerns
  4. Maintain a resource plan and inform senior management of resource requirements
  5. Contact potential project consultants and negotiate terms
  6. Provide financial oversight of interventions including maintenance of a resource burn-rate, an accurate financial forecast and provision of other management reports
  7. Support implementation of interventions including logistics and administration, financial management, organisational development, reporting, recruitment, and contracting.
  8. Support quarterly and annual reporting on interventions 

Desired Skills and Experience

  • A postgraduate degree in economics, political science, international development, business management, or other relevant field from a top-tier university
  • A minimum of 3 years work experience in development, consulting or a relevant field
  • A demonstrated interest in economic development, particularly in developing countries
  • Demonstrated experience of using initiative, client-orientation, risk taking, and working in complex and time-pressured contexts
  • Outstanding written and spoken English
  • Enthusiasm, flexibility and a strong attention to detail
  • Excellent communication, inter-personal, and team-working skills
  • Excellent IT skills including Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Project and VisioDesirable
  • Additional languages
  • Experience working in developing countries
  • Professional experience of one of the following sectors/themes in a developing country: agriculture, media, business advocacy, legal and regulatory reform, gender and social inclusion 

     

What We Offer You

We offer you a dynamic and friendly team environment and the opportunity to work on a highly successful portfolio of programmes. We have a strong commitment to our people and strive to live by our principles:

  • Take responsibility (Accountability)

Individually and collectively accountable for what we do.

  • Always find a way (Resourcefulness)

We think innovatively to reach a solution.

  • Promote Quality (Excellence)

We maintain and promote professional standards in everything we do.

  • Commit to the Outcome (Achievement)

We take pride in delivering our best to achieve results

We’ve built a culture to reflect our principles, full of likeminded professionals who are smart, passionate and great at what they do. We work out of a fantastic headquarters by Lambeth Bridge, with great views of the Thames. We offer a highly competitive compensation package and excellent benefits.

 

How to Apply?

We would love to hear from you. Please submit a CV (no more than 3 pages) and short cover letter to [email protected] with a subject line of “GEMS3 Project Manager” by 10th February 2014. Candidates will require the unrestricted right to work in the UK. Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted. Thank you for your consideration.